Exploring the Sunshine Coast in a Hired Car

We are so used to driving ourselves to work and everywhere we go that we have become inured to traffic and the other stresses of driving. It is only when we find ourselves being driven around in the best car hire that we realise the simple joy in just looking at the sights and watching traffic go by.

Customers can choose from a wide selection of hire cars from rental car companies such as Go Rent A Car. The company mainly services the Sunshine Coast Airport and the Sunshine Coast Metropolitan, comprising areas from Caloundra to Noosa. Go Rent A Car provides pickup and delivery services from various locations in its service areas, including resorts, hotels, residences and businesses.

Nevertheless, before signing up with a rental car company, it pays to know where you can and cannot drive a hired car around Australia. This will prevent you from getting into trouble with the car rental company, and worse, with the police.

Places Where Hire Cars are Off Limits

Regardless of the make or model of the car hire, you are not allowed to drive the hired car off road; to the islands; to and from Tasmania or Northern Territory; streams, dams, rivers and flood waters; and beaches.

It is illegal to take your hired car off road, which is any road that is not identified on a map with a street name. Off roads include fire trails, paddocks and sands.

You are not allowed to drive your car hire to an island if a car ferry is needed to transport you and your car there. Most rental car companies list Bruny Island, Kangaroo Island and Fraser Island as off limits to car hire.

If you want to drive a hire car to and from Tasmania or Northern Territory, you must do it from within these two regions. Car hire is restricted in Tasmania because you are not allowed to travel by ferry. In Northern Territory, car hire is off limits because of the vast dessert that you will need to navigate to reach a city.

All rental car companies also do not allow driving car hires into moving bodies of water like dams and streams, as well as beaches and sand.

The law regarding car hires is a grey area in the following: driving in snow, within the Northern Territory, within Western Australia, and within Queensland. Company regulations in these areas vary from company to company.

Why the Restrictions?

Insurance, or the difficulty in getting one, is a major reason why hire companies implement most of the above restrictions. Without insurance, the hire company will definitely not offer the service to customers. Hire companies typically have difficulty in obtaining insurance for car ferry travel and night driving.

Though these restrictions are in place, you can still physically drive your car hire in any of these restricted places. However, you will be accountable for any damage to the car during your travel. Be sure to brush up on the laws for driving car hires in Australia to avoid hassles and legal problems.